Austria Flashcards
What wines is Austria known for?
Dry, high acid white wines made from Gruner Veltliner and Riesling
Sweet wines
Recently, red wines made from Zweigelt and Blaufränkisch have become better known
What controversy affected Austrian wine sales in the 20th century?
When did it happen and what was the specific effect?
Surging export demand during the 1970s and 1980s,
Some large volume Austrian wine producers added the antifreeze product diethylene glycol to their wines to increase volumes and add sweetness.
When this was discovered in 1985, sales fell the next year from 30 million liters to 5 million liters.
What is the AWMB? When was it founded?
The Austrian Wine Marketing Board was founded in 1986 to improve the international image of Austrian wine.
Its founding followed the discovery of diethylene glycol use in Austrian wine.
What is the volume and price of Austrian wine exports today compared to 1985?
Volume is up to 52.6 million compared to 30 million
Prices have more than tripled
What part of Austria is unsuitable for commercial viticulture?
Most of Austria’s mountainous western terrain
What part of Austria is better suited for commercial viticulture?
The eastern part of the country where the Alps flatten into the Pannonian plain and along the Danube river
What is the climate in Austria?
Cool continental climate with varying influences based on regional geography
It can be said that there are unique influences on Austria’s northern, southern, eastern, and western winemaking zones.
What are they?
North: cool northerly winds
South: the moderate Adriatic
East: the warmer Pannonian plains
West: the cooling Alps
What climate-related risks can occur during the growing season in Austria?
Spring frost
Hail
Winter freeze in particularly cold winters, though not generally
Water stress in some area
What are the two major soil types in Austria?
And others?
Thin soils over rock
Richer soils such as loess
Also some clay, limestone, scheiss, gravel & volcanic.
What soil types are less present in Austria’s soil but still important for viticulture?
Where are they common?
Limestone and schist, as on the Leithaberg Hills
EYE - LIMEstone schIst LEIthaberg hills.
Gravel and volcanic material, as in Steiermark and parts of Kamptal
What soils are Riesling and Gruner Veltliner planted on in Austria?
Why?
Riesling is usually planted on thinner soils because it needs less water than Gruner Veltliner.
Gruner Veltliner is planted on loess or clay.
What was the established vine training method in Austria during the 1980s? Is it still in use?
The Lenz Moser method, a high-training system (1.2-1.4m) that improves vineyard mechanization, promotes high yields, and avoids shading of bunches.
The Guyot training systems with VSP trellising are more popular as they improve quality.
Think Margaret Moser - but through a Lenz.
Is machine harvesting common in Austria?
On the flatter lands in Weinviertel and Burgenland, yes.
Some areas around the Danube, such as Wachau, Kremstal, and Kamptal, are planted on hand-built steep stone terraces that require hand harvesting.
True or False
Disease pressure is high in Austria.
False.
Rainfall is low to moderate, reaching 450mm in Weinviertel and 850mm in Steiermark, which reduces disease pressure.
How has the disease pressure in Austria affected organic and biodynamic viticulture?
With the low risk of fungal disease due to the relatively dry climate, 16% of Austrian vineyards are practicing organic and 20% of those are practicing biodynamic.
(Think Weygandt email you just got!)
The remainder of Austria’s wine area are largely practicing integrated viticulture.
Is irrigation permitted in Austrian vineyards?
Yes
Rainfall can be low during the growing season.
